Tanning Beds for Sale

Tanning Explained

By Ted, on April 25th, 2012

Tanning Explained – Your Body’s Natural Defense

To understand why it’s so important to take time to build up your suntan, it’s necessary to first understand a what tanning actually is, as well as a little about your skin. Taking the necessary time to allow your suntan to develop is important whether you’re using a tanning bed or the natural light of the sun.
The skin is the largest organ of the human body. Its role is to protect the body, and one of the ways it does this is by tanning. There are two layers to your skin. The upper layer is called the epidermis, and the lower layer is the dermis. The epidermis is the layer of your skin that changes color when exposed to UV rays (be they natural sunlight or from a tanning bed) and gives you a tan.
Your skin is constantly changing. The cells in the dermis are living and constantly reproducing. As this happens they move upwards and eventually become the epidermis – the outerlayer of skin that covers your whole body. The skin cells only live for a finite amount of time, and once they become the epidermis are no longer living. When they reach the top they soon flake off, to be replaced by the cells moving up from below.
The dermis layer of the skin contains various types of cells, including some called melanocytes. These melanocytes are responsible for the production of a product called melanin. When UV rays – either from the sun or a tanning bed – are absorbed by the skin, this stimulates the melanocytes to undergo a process called melanogenesis. This process creates two different types of melanin – one is red and the other a very dark brown.
The purpose of melanin is to literally soak up the solar radiation that these UV rays cause, so protecting the body from the damage they can present to the body. This melanin causes the skin to darken – in other words, to tan. The more solar radiation (UV rays) the skin is exposed to, the more melanin is produced and the darker the tan becomes.
However, not every person’s skin produces the same amount of melanin. The fairer skinned you are, the less melanin your skin will produce. And because the body takes a while to produce melanin this is why too much exposure to UV rays can cause sunburn – especially at first. And that is why proper care must be exercised when choosing tanning beds for sale.

Problems when Tanning – Rashes and Itchy Skin

By Ted, on April 14th, 2012

The last thing you think about when choosing your tanning bed from the many for sale, is that you’ll have a reaction to using it.

Itchy skin after tanning, as well as breaking out in a rash or hives can occur for two reasons. An allergic reaction or a simple heat rash.

Allergy to UV Rays

This is extremely rare, but it does occur. There are a small percentage of people who simply cannot tolerate using a tanning bed. This might be because of their skin type being too delicate to do anything but burn when exposed, or to a reaction to the sun. True allergic reactions very seldom occur, but many people refer to those who react in the way described above as an “allergy.”

Heat Rash

A heat rash, or hives, is an extremely common occurrence. Many people suffer from it – either from natural sunlight or from the UV rays on a tanning bed. When tanning artificially the chances of suffering from a heat rash are intensified. This is because there’s usually less air flow around your body than there would be if you were outside, you get rather hot on a tanning bed and also because it’s common for people to overdo their first few sessions in their eagerness to get a tan. This culminates in the skin coming up in an itchy rash – sometimes referred to as “prickly heat.”

Preventative Measures.

You can take quite a lot of precautions to help stop this uncomfortable situation. They include the following:

Start off slow and steady. There really is no rush to get your tan, and the slower it develops the longer it’ll last. If you do come up in a rash, reduce your tanning bed sessions down to a minimum for a period of about two weeks. This should allow your skin to adapt and become used to the UV ray exposure.
Make sure there is a good airflow in the room where you use your tanning bed.
Try flipping over halfway through your session. Of course, you’ll do this out of necessity if your sunbed doesn’t tan both front and back at the same time. But if it does, try turning over during your session. This will help cool you down and create airflow across your skin.
Ensure that you exfoliate your skin regularly and that you use good quality moisturizers. The more you can moisturize the better. In other words, treat your skin with the utmost consideration during the first few weeks of using your tanning bed.

Some people simply can’t use a tanning bed on an increased level without breaking out in an itchy skin rash. If this is the case then just continue to take it slow and steady. If you’re at all worried then don’t hesitate to seek medical advice.

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Problem Areas – Tanning your Legs

By Ted, on April 12th, 2012

One problem that affects very many tanning bed users is the ability to tan your legs. Very often, the skin on your legs doesn’t tan at the same speed as other areas of the body. In fact, in many cases, legs simply don’t get as dark as the rest of you. This is particularly the case with the lower legs.

There are a few reasons for this. One is that there is less fat and muscle beneath the skin on certain parts of your legs, such as on your shins, for example. The other, and probably far more common reason as to why many people have trouble tanning their legs, is shaving.

Shaving and Leg Tanning

One of the last things you think about as you choose your new purchase from the rows of tanning beds for sale, is the fact that your legs might not end up the same color as the rest of you.

The problem is that when you shave your legs, you remove the top layer of skin. It doesn’t matter how gentle you are, how much shaving lotion you use, what quality of razor you use or how much moisturizer you slather on afterwards – shaving still strips away some of the skin.

So what can you do to prevent it? Or, if not prevent it, what can you do to lessen the effects of shaving?

Well, unfortunately there’s no “fix all” answer to this problem. Making your legs hair free and super soft to bare to the world, as well as beautifully tanned is a challenge that women everywhere face.

The following are tricks that can help minimize the effects, and keep your legs as well tanned as possible.

Stop Shaving. No, we don’t mean going “au naturel” (although if that’s your bag, you go for it). But you might like to choose another method of hair removal, at least in the summer months. These could include waxing, epilation or perhaps a depilatory cream. Whilst these still damage the top layer of skin, using these methods provides you with a longer period in between hair removal.
Use a bronzer. This isn’t an ideal solution, as using a bronzer on your legs will likely end up with your legs being a different shade of brown to the rest of your body. And the “leg tanning accelerators” that you can purchase are simply bronzers under a different name. The only option is to use a bronzer on the whole of your body, with extra applications on your legs.
Tan your lower legs more frequently. Along with using a different hair removal method, this is probably the most effective solution. Every third session or so, tan your legs only. This can be done by sitting in a chair at the end of the bed and placing your legs beneath the bed.

It is a challenge, getting your legs the same beautiful tone as the rest of your body. Experiment with different methods to see what works the best for you.…

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Maintaining Your Tan

By Ted, on April 8th, 2012

Once you’ve splashed out a bunch of bucks on the perfect tanning bed for sale, prepared your skin so it will tan evenly and devised your “slowly but surely” tanning timetable, the last thing you want to do is allow your tan to fade too fast due to poor maintenance.

Let’s be honest, most of us are aware that we want to spend as little time beneath our tanning bed’s UV rays as possible. So what tips and tricks are there to extending that bronzed goddess (or Adonis) look for as long as possible?

Okay, we’ve already mentioned taking it slow and steady, but this really is something that can’t be reiterated strongly enough. Sure, once you get your home tanning bed set up it’s extremely tempting to add on that extra minute or so, just to speed up the process. But to get the best tan possible, and one that lasts, you need to build up slowly.
Moisturize, moisturize and moisturize some more. The more hydrated your skin is, the less it will flake. Of course, all skin flakes, even though you might not be able to see it, but the more supple it is the less this will happen. The top layer of skin is dead, and it flakes off to reveal the younger skin below. When the skin is dry then this flaking happens faster and is more apparent. By choosing and using a good quality moisturizer you can slow down this flaking process. And don’t forget that the very best skin moisturizing comes from within. Drinking around 2 liters of water every day (more if you’re physically active) will help keep your whole body hydrated, as well as your skin. This in turn will make you feel better and give you more energy. So it’s a win-win situation all round, and not just for the longevity of your tan.
Use a good tanning lotion. There are many different types on the market. Some contain only moisturizers, whilst others contain ingredients that encourage the production of the skin’s natural melanin, along with other tan accelerators. These are probably the best types to use, although they are often a little more expensive. However, you can search out the best deals, which are usually found online. However, be sure to check the use by dates, especially if you come across any “too good to be true” bargains. The last thing you want is to buy a tanning lotion, only to find that you’ve not got enough time left to use it before it goes out of date.
Never let yourself burn. Sunburn is the worst thing if you want to get and maintain a tan. It will cause the top layer of skin (and those beneath, if the burn is severe) to die and peel away. Once burnt, there’s nothing you can do to repair those skin cells. Severe sunburn is dangerous, not only in the short term but in the long term as well, as it affects the deeper skin cells, as well as the elastin and collagen contained in the skin.
Once you’ve achieved your ideal tan, make sure you use you tanning bed on a regular basis to keep your tan topped up and maintained.

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Post-Tanning Session Showers

By Ted, on April 5th, 2012

One question that many tanning bed users often ask is “how long after tanning should I wait before taking a shower?”

Different manufacturers of various tanning beds for sale offer varying advice on this, and it can make it a challenge to know what to do for the best. After all, you use your tanning bed to get the best color possible, so you want to ensure that your efforts are leading towards the most striking results.

There are no hard and fast rules as to how long to wait before showering. But one thing that probably needs to be taken into consideration is whether or not you use a tanning lotion. If you don’t, then it’s likely that jumping into the shower straight after using your tanning bed won’t make any difference to your tan. However, if you do use a lotion – and let’s face it, most people do – then waiting a while post-tanning is probably the best option.

Why Use a Tanning Lotion?

As a rule, tanning lotions mainly contain ingredients to keep your skin moisturized and hydrated during and after tanning. But they also contain other things that encourage your skin to produce melanin and become darker. Therefore, using a tanning lotion makes sense to accelerate your browning efforts.

The longer this tanning lotion stays on your skin (within reason), the better. Waiting up to 30 minutes after your tanning bed session before washing off the lotion in the shower means that you’ll have had nearly an hour of it working. After you’ve showered, you can then use a seperate “after shower” lotion to further enhance your skin moisturizing and tanning efforts.

Which Tanning Lotions to Use

There are many tanning lotions available to purchase. Most tanning beds for sale will provide you with a starter pack included in the price. It’s also likely that the tanning bed manufacturer will produce their own tanning lotion range that they’ll recommend to be used with their product.

Of course, it’s up to you whether or not you take their advice or you choose to go with another producers tanning lotions. Shop around, because there are many deals to be had. Online purchases can prove to be some of the best bargains.

However, as with everything, cheapest isn’t always the best. Do some research if you’re thinking of changing the brand of tanning lotion that you use. What are the ingredients used? Is it simply a moisturizer or is it a tan preparation lotion and/or a tan accelerator as well? Many of these “all-in-one” lotions can prove to be some of the best buys when it comes to value and performance.

You should also check the size that the tanning lotions are presented in. It’s a common manufacturing trick to reduce the size by a very small amount – perhaps just 10 or 15 mls. – but charge the same or similar price as a competitor. This means that whilst it looks like you’re getting the same value for money, you’re actually buying a more expensive product. Definitely a case of “buyer beware.”…

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Uneven Tanning, Sunspots and Freckles

By Ted, on April 3rd, 2012

One thing that the manufacturers don’t tell us in their advertisements for tanning beds for sale, is about uneven tanning. This can happen in many shapes or forms. It can take the shape of freckles, as well as larger areas of skin that turn a different color when exposed to the sun or artificial UV rays.

Freckles are caused by uneven melanin production in the skin. Some people have more freckles than others, and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about this.

Most people will have areas of skin that tan differently from the rest of their body. This usually only becomes noticeable when your tan becomes very dark. Apart from freckles, you might see areas on your temples, neck and other areas show up as blotchy, patchy or even look like patches of dirty skin. Once again, this is caused by an uneven production of melanin in the lower layers of the skin.

To help avoid this happening you can do the following:

Try not to allow your tan to become over dark. Yes, we all want a golden glow, but don’t take this to the extreme. These uneven marks tend to be far more prominent the darker your skin becomes.
Look after your skin before, during and after tanning. This includes regular moisturizing, exfoliating and not allowing your skin to burn.
Once you attain the golden level of tanning you require, slow down your tanning bed sessions to a maintenance level.

Of course, there’s not a lot you can do about freckles. These are a naturally occurring feature and something that is determined by many genetic factors.

Sunspots

Some people suffer from white areas of skin that refuse to tan. This can be caused by a fungus that is similar to yeast, and we refer to these as sunspots. This is a problem that can be treated and will require the input of your medical doctor. One treatment is the use of selenium sulphide lotion. It might take a few weeks, but applying this as directed by your medical provider should sort out the problem. However, it depends how severe the problem is to the extent of how much it can be improved.

There are also “over the counter” remedies that can be purchased to treat sunspots. One such example is a product called Sun Spot Solution by Body Drench. Some people have reported success with such products, whilst others say they don’t do anything.

If you have any concerns with an area of skin that is a different color or texture to that surrounding it, then you should seek medical advice immediately. We’re all aware of the potential dangers of overdoing the tanning, and it’s always advisable to err on the side of caution. That way you can enjoy tanning, and get the very best out of your home tanning bed.…

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How to Listen to Music in Your Tanning Bed

By Ted, on March 30th, 2012

One thing that natural tanning has over using a tanning bed is that you can plug into your MP3, iPod or other device easily, without any worries about damage it might cause to your equipment. However, when using a tanning bed there are differing opinions as to whether or not this is sensible to do.

Some home tanning beds for sale come with inbuilt radios and/or music players. However it’s not the most common of features to see. But (and this is a big but), if the music player goes wrong, then it can be extremely expensive to fix. Considering that integral music players in tanning beds are often pretty inferior models in the first place, purchasing such a tanning bed simply because it has this gadget might not be the wisest choice.

So what’s the answer? Thankfully there are a few options that mean you can happily listen to your own music or the radio while using your tanning bed.

iPods, MP3s and personal music players

If you do want to use your personal music device when tanning there are a few precautions to take.

Don’t bring the music player beneath the tanning bed where it’ll be exposed to the radiation. There are opposing views on whether or not this will cause damage to the music player itself, but there have been many reports of tanning beds causing mysterious breakdowns of iPods, iPhones, MP3s and the like. The best option is to lay it outside of the reach of the rays. Alternatively you could use a cover, although this is highly unlikely to protect the music player from the UV rays, as they will simply penetrate through.
Use an external sound system. By placing a music player at the head end of your tanning bed, you can listen to your music or the radio to your heart’s content. Not only that, but you won’t have to worry about the headphone wires when you turn over, nor that you might accidentally expose your music player to the UV rays.
If you choose to listen to the radio on a personal music player, you’ll likely find that getting a good reception is a bit of a challenge. This is because the electronics of the tanning bed interfere with the radio signals. Get round this by pushing your radio as far away from the tanning bed unit as possible. Once it’s out of range then you should find that your radio reception is better.

With regards to tanning beds for sale with a built in sound system, there’s a reason why there aren’t very many of them. And it’s simply because they’re not very popular for the reasons mentioned above. Using an external source is a much better option, plus you can take it with you wherever you go. After all, you only spend 10 minutes or so on a tanning bed, so why have the additional expense of a built in radio for somewhere that you only spend a very small amount of time?…

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When is the Best Time to Buy a Tanning Bed?

By Ted, on March 28th, 2012

Tanning beds for sale can be found at any time of the year. But is there any particular time when you might get a great bargain? Well, there are a few tips and tricks you can utilize to get the best deals on tanning beds for sale, saving perhaps a few hundred dollars if you’re really lucky.

Avoid peak tanning bed sales periods. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that this is when everyone begins to think about baring some skin as the weather warms up. February through May is the peak buying time. Not only will you be unlikely to grab a bargain at this time, but shipping times might be longer as well.
Consider buying at Christmas. Sometimes manufacturers use this time of year to clear out old models ready for a new line. This often results in discounts being offered. It’s not the most common of scenarios but does happen on occasion, and the savvy purchaser can save perhaps $100-200 dollars. A good discount in anyone’s book.
Late summer and early fall is traditionally the slowest time for dealers selling tanning beds. Other things are taking up people’s time, spare funds and concentration. This includes the back to school rush, having spent money on a summer vacation and a million other things that we all have to do at the end of summer. If you’re lucky you might find that dealers apply some promotional discounts at this time of year. And if you’re really canny, try phoning up and seeing if you can talk some extra money off. You could also ask about any special deals on ex-display models too.
Although it doesn’t really fit under the “best time to buy” heading of this post, one way that you’ll be guaranteed to pay the highest price possible is by taking out the credit options offered by a dealer. If you have to borrow in order to purchase your tanning bed, find your own deal from a bank, credit card or other option. Using the one the dealer offers is almost always the most expensive choice.

The thing is, tanning beds are popular items. Thus finding deals and discounts can be a challenge. However, today’s fragile financial climate works in a buyer’s favor more now than at any point in recent history. Take your time when looking at tanning beds for sale, and don’t jump straight into the first deal you see. The savvy purchaser will take advantage of the many consumer tools now available to compare the prices of virtually anything you can think of. And once you’ve found the tanning bed you want to buy at the lowest price, use your best bargaining techniques to see if you can wangle a further discount.

It might not work, but at least you’ll know you’ve tried.…

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Deciphering Tanning Bed Warranties

By Ted, on March 25th, 2012

When trying to decide which model to buy from the many different tanning beds for sale, one of the most confusing issues is understanding the warranties. The problem is the wording, and many (for many, better read “all”) manufacturers use clever wording in their warranties that make them seem better than they really are.

So here are a few of the ones commonly seen, along with their descriptions in everyday language so we can all understand them.

Warranty on Workmanship

Possibly one of the most misleading terms of all, because in legal terms this has no clear definition. What you would expect this to mean is that you have a warranty that all the parts used to make the tanning bed are guaranteed to be of a satisfactory standard. But when it comes down to it, the fact that “warranty on workmanship” is not defined in legal terms could mean that it has no value whatsoever.

Limited Lifetime Warranty

How long is a limited lifetime? Your guess is as good as ours, and unless the time is specified (i.e. 10 years, 5 years etc.) then this kind of warranty means nothing.

Parts Warranty

This one’s a little clearer to understand. The parts that make up the tanning bed are covered under warranty for a period of time that should be specified. However, shipping and labor costs are not covered. These costs will have to be met by you.

Prorated Warranty

Another clever little term that means that the tanning bed (as a whole or in individual parts) is only proportionally covered by the warranty. So if, for instance, a part has a “prorated 2 year warranty” and you have a problem after 1 year, you’ll be responsible for 50 percent of the repair cost. And don’t forget that you’ll have to pay any shipping costs as well.

This kind of warranty is usually offered on the parts of a tanning bed that’s expected to wear out over time.

Replace or Repair at Our Option

If something proves defective under this warranty, the manufacturer has the final say over whether they will repair the part (or complete tanning bed unit), or simply replace it with another. A replacement might not necessarily be brand new. It could be a refurbished or rebuilt model. However, this is not a “bad” warranty. It just pays for you to know exactly what your rights are when looking at different tanning beds for sale.

Under Normal Use

This commonly used term does have legal meaning. And if you and a manufacturer were to disagree over what it means, a court of law would be able to define this. For instance, if you were to use your home tanning bed in a commercial environment, then this would be outside the terms of “normal use.” Similarly, if you were to use it for something other than tanning people, subject it to rough handling or any other kind of misuse, then it would not be covered by the manufacturer’s warranty.…

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Moisture – The Key to a Great Tan

By jacki, on March 7th, 2012

It might sound a little strange, saying that moisture is the key to getting the best tan. However, we’re not talking about precipitation – we’re talking about how well moisturized your skin is.

We all know how important it is to moisturize our face on a regular basis, but when it comes to tanning – be it on a tanning bed or in the sun – the best tans will occur on the bodies that have the most supple and moisturized skin.

Okay, some people are blessed with better skin than others, but that doesn’t mean that you should take any shortcuts when it comes to moisturizing. One thing that happens when you’re developing a tan is that moisture is lost from the skin. So you need to do your utmost to replace this at every opportunity you can. This of course means using a good quality moisturizer, but it also includes ensuring that you hydrate your body from the inside out.

In other words – drink plenty of water!

It’s a little known fact that a large percentage of people walk around in a mild state of dehydration. We simply don’t drink enough (of water, that is). And when that happens the body diverts its water supplies away from the non-essential areas – such as skin hydration – to the essential internal areas. The result being skin that’s dryer than it should be. In fact, you can moisturize your skin more efficiently by drinking plenty of water than by slathering any amount of expensive lotions and potions on your skin.

However, this doesn’t mean you can just drink water at the expense of bothering to moisturize. For the best skin and the best tan you need to do both. You can never moisturize your skin too often when it comes to tanning. By doing so you’re preparing your skin in advance for the moisture it’ll lose during the tanning process, and then replacing the moisture after the event.

That’s why so many sales of tanning beds come with free moisturizers or moisturizer recommendations – simply because it’ll help you to get the best results possible. And if you ever over do the tanning bed (or the natural sunlight), then moisturizer will be the essential item to both soothe your skin and help it repair.

When looking for a tanning bed for sale you should consider moisturizer an essential purchase to go with it. That way you can ensure that your skin is in the best condition possible to give you the healthy glow you desire.…

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